American Academy of Pediatrics

Q: My 18-year-old daughter has been cutting since she was 13. We have tried counselors, but there always seemed to be a reason why she didn't like them. I had her involuntarily committed for three days and she stopped for a while, but then it started again. If there's any information you can provide me with, I would greatly appreciate it. I really think she needs help. A: Cutting can be very insidious, says the Help for Families panel. Cutting can be done any time, anywhere and with anything," says panelist Joanne Nigito-Raftas. "People who cut wear long sleeves to hide it and may do it after everyone goes to bed." Cutting is a form of self-injury, which...

Related "American Academy of Pediatrics" Articles

After a contentious start, an amended bill streamlining the prior authorization process for prescription medications is making its way through the Virginia legislature.
"It will allow us to take much better care of our patients," said family...

The measles outbreak linked to the Disneyland theme park in California has spread to 14 states and Mexico since December, but has not shown up in Virginia, according to a state health official.
Still, "It's very important for people to be up to date...

More than 26,000 military families with autistic children are getting better TRICARE coverage of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy and related services, which can improve a child's development and quality of life.
But a Comprehensive Autism Care...

Early elective births are becoming a thing of the past on the Peninsula. Rates have plummeted since 2008, when the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, ACOG, issued a recommendation that women should wait until the 39th week of completed...

Breastfeeding Mamas, a mother-to-mother support group, gives its members the following information to help them breastfeed successfully:• Breastfeed newborns as soon as possible after birth.• Breastfeed often to help establish and maintain an adequate...

At 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Gov. Bob McDonnell signed House Bill 1107 (Greason) and Senate Bill 656 (McEachin), which require local school boards to adopt and implement policies for the possession and administration of epinephrine in Virginia’s public...

After a multi-year struggle to have the Virginia General Assembly pass legislation mandating physical education in schools as an antidote to the growing problem of chilhood obesity, advocacy groups reported a small victory Tuesday.Despite the governor's...

Sniffling, sneezing, runny nose? Most likely it's the common cold and not the flu. Area health services report that the numbers of people presenting with "influenza-like illnesses" are running true to form for the time of the year when the...

WASHINGTON �� The battle to define what Americans should eat is pitting nutritionists against deep-pocketed groups that are spending almost 14 times more cash on lobbying in Washington. Coca Cola Co., food-industry and farm groups concerned about...

Florida can start enforcing a contentious law that restricts what doctors can say to patients about guns. The measure was first adopted by the Florida Legislature four years ago, but had been caught in a lengthy court battle in which a federal judge in...

Illinois has some of the least-restrictive laws regulating all-terrain vehicles, and enthusiasts and consumer advocates are divided about how to make the popular sport safer. The Chicago Tribune reports (http://trib.in/1LJVZId ) that July and August are...

Delaware's maternity hospitals have made the decision to no longer give new moms a free bag of formula at discharge. WDEL-FM (http://bit.ly/1IfM6fT) reports that the decision follows steps being taken nationwide after a 2013 Centers for Disease Control...

Ever asked the Internet what your symptoms mean and gotten a response that seemed wacky or totally off base? It's not your imagination.
In an audit that is believed to be the first of its kind, Harvard Medical School researchers have tested 23 online...

WASHINGTON Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt is in the middle of a fight over the government's dietary guidelines, which are slated to be updated this year. House and Senate spending bills working their way through Congress have recently been...

When nursing becomes painful or difficult in the days after giving birth, women can turn to certified lactation consultants for advice and relief. But some Illinois women say that when they tried to get their insurers to pay for the service, their...

The rate of emergency room visits and hospitalizations of children with severe food allergy reactions nearly tripled in Illinois over five years, reports a new study released Friday by Northwestern Medicine.
Increases in visit frequency were found across...

All right, parents, it's time for a change. Childhood obesity is a very real problem, and I've seen plenty of examples among my patients: a 4-year-old weighing 75 pounds, an 8-year-old heavier than me, a teenager weighing in just north of 350 (and...

Once seen only among an older population, adult diseases such as fatty liver disease, hypertension and osteoporosis are being diagnosed more and more in children. And you can add to that sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol levels. The...